The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors that provide connector position assurance.
Some electrical connectors have latching features that are configured to releasably secure the electrical connector to a mating electrical connector to withstand pull-out forces that would pull the connectors apart and break an electrically conductive pathway therebetween. When mating two connectors, it may be difficult for an operator to ascertain whether the two connectors are fully mated such that the complementary latching features are properly engaged due to small physical sizes of the connectors and/or the presence of other components that obstruct the view and accessibility of the connectors. Some connector systems utilize connector position assurance (CPA) members that are designed as a means for ensuring that the connectors are properly and fully mated.
Some CPA members are movable between a pre-lock and a lock position. The CPA members may be designed to only be movable from the pre-lock position to the lock in response to the two mating electrical connectors reaching fully mated positions relative to one another. The CPA member may be restricted from moving to the lock position prematurely. As a result, when the CPA member is unrestricted and allowed to be moved by an operator to the lock position, this indicates to the operator that the connectors are fully mated.
However, some known CPA members are prone to malfunction by allowing the CPA members to prematurely and inadvertently move to the lock position before the connectors are fully mated. This premature actuation of the CPA members may be caused by forces exerted on the CPA member that overcome, overstress, and/or damage relatively weak stop features that are designed to block premature actuation of the CPA member. The forces may be exerted on the CPA member by an operator that accidentally pushes on the CPA member instead of a connector housing when mating two connectors, by external forces imparted on the CPA member during shipping and/or transit, or the like. The weakness of the stop features may be at least partially attributable to the general trend of reducing sizes of electrical connectors and components.
A need remains for an electrical connector having a CPA member that is able to withstand premature actuation of the CPA member from the pre-lock position to the lock position without damaging features on the connector.